Poor Boy’s – Cochon Po’ Boy

A birthday celebration meant that I was treated to a Poor Boy’s by a friend. Having been to Poor Boy’s a few times and never been disappointed I was excited to do a special review on one of their fantastic Po Boy’s. The only consideration I had about the delivery of the Po Boy was how it would travel on a delivery. Read on to find out how it went…

The Bun: 18/20

Shiny, soft and perfect size to stack in a mound of components the Cochon Po Boy came harnessed by a brilliant brioche. For me, the bun at Po Boy’s is one of the best. It is hard to describe any particular flavour as there is so much happening, especially in the Cochon Po Boy but the texture is absolutely spot on. The bun has a slight give when biting but not enough to disrupt or take away from the other components. To be honest, the buns I have had when I have been to Poor Boy’s would be a 19/20 scoring but this one did seem to fall apart just a touch more than when you have them in the restaurant. I think the travelling time certainly plays a factor in the texture of the bun, not enough to make a huge impact but definitely enough to make a difference to what, otherwise, would be a near on perfect bun.

The Toppings: 6/10

The standard salad that comes in the Cochon Po’ Boy is not much to shout home about. In fact, the tomatoes, for me, are just not the way forward. At the start I always pick the tomatoes from the stack and put them on the side. The lettuce did not travel well. The heat in the journey time withers the lettuce to a slight mush but still does yield a fresh flavour you would expect from a decent lettuce. The Po Boy certainly does have a fresh crunch when it has not travelled and I was slightly disappointed but the toppings are not why I went for the Cochon Po’ Boy, to be clear!

The Condiments: 9/10

When you build your Po’ Boy you do have the option of 7 different condiments that comes on the side so you can layer it yourself into the stack. I went for the Louisiana Hot. I have previously had the Voodoo and this is not a joke, probably one of the hottest sauces I have ever had from any restaurant, in fact, I have eaten Phal’s and Vindaloos that do not have the same kick as this sauce so if you like hot then that is certainly for you! The Louisiana Hot is like a second tier hot sauce that you can order with the Po’ Boy. Has a delightful flavour, a little sweet but with a decent kick at the back end of a bite. There is no comparison to the Voodoo Sauce in terms of heat but I found myself being able to eat the Louisiana Hot comfortably without a sweat towel next to me and appreciate the flavour that complimented well the Crispy Pork Belly.

The Patty (Well Kind of): 19/20

The word cochon, after a swift Google search to be sure, means Pig. That could describe how I felt in colloquial terms after eating this Po’ Boy! The Cochon Po’ Boy, comes absolutely stacked with a crispy BBQ Pork Belly. The flavour is exceptional, one of the best you can find that is for sure! A sweet tangy BBQ sauce that is reduced into the meat that amplifies the flavour to make your mouth water, it is literally crazy. The cuts are perfect too, big, chunky pieces of pork belly that make the bun look like it is holding oversized air bobbles like some basketball sneakers. Sometimes when I read BBQ sauce I am hesitant to order as many restaurants have given me a chunk of meat that has no flavour but the sauce is the richness in flavour and hasn’t transfused into the meat – not with the Cochon Po’ Boy. It is bursting with flavour and is a masterclass in my opinion. The only point I can take away from Poor Boys, on this occasion, was the Pork Belly did not have the signature crisp I am used to. It was missing the real crispness that I have come to enjoy; again this could down to be the travelling but I have to score how it is received.

The Cheese (Wait for it!): 18/20

Ok, so. Technically, there is no cheese in a Po’ Boy. In fact, it is not even an option. An obvious hack, for work purposes of course, ha ha, was to order the Poor Boys Mac and Cheese. You mix the Mac and Cheese into a Po’ Boy and, all of a sudden, you want to slap whoever bought you M&S Mac and Cheese and put it in the oven at home! THIS Mac and Cheese is so full of flavour and texture that you could literally count the calories with a calculator with each bite. This Mac and Cheese would go down as top 3 I have ever had in my life in 15-20 countries and across 4 continents. Could you guess that it would be found in Kingston Upon Thames! If you are going to try a Po’ Boy, you have got to order this on the side! Flavour profile is just everything you could imagine in a Mac and Cheese, amazing cheesiness with a creamy but not watery texture that melts in your mouth with the large ringleted pasta. Wow!

The Taste: 18/20

One of the best things you will eat, there is no doubt about it. I mean, Mac and Cheese (hack), BBQ Pork Belly, a fantastic bun accompanied by a brilliant sauce. Even the below par toppings cannot dent the Cochon Po’ Boy. This is a must try. There is not much to say. The taste is exceptional, point-blank. I literally loved this meat in a bun! You should check out our Hit List to see how it scored in our rankings.

Our Verdict: 90/100

We have tried to accommodate Poor Boy’s into a Cheeseburgerme feature because we know all about them having eaten there multiple times since finding the little gem in Kingston. It is nice to see them ramping up traction on their Instagram page and having met the staff you will find no place more fun and lively. They have a range of products at Poor Boy’s but the signature Po’ Boy for me is the Cochon Po’ Boy. It has never disappointed and I will, no doubt, be having another 10 this year! You have got to check out Poor Boys in Kingston website here